European Union Accuses Ireland of Giving Apple Illegal State Aid with Tax Deals

The European Commission today announced the results of its formal investigation into Apple's tax arrangements in Ireland, accusing the company of receiving illegal state aid from the country, reports The Wall Street Journal.



In its findings, the regulatory body stated that deals between Apple and Ireland struck in 1991 and 2007 helped Irish authorities "confer a selective advantage upon Apple" that resulted in a lowering of its tax liability. The Commission also added that Apple's increase in sales for its business in Ireland appear to be inconsistent when related to comparable operating costs that would come with growth. Furthermore, the Commission notes that there was a reported increase in "sales income" by 415%, but states that most of the profit-generating work was done elsewhere.

Accordingly, the Commission's of the opinion that through those rulings the Irish authorities confer an advantage on Apple. That advantage is obtained every year and on-going, when the annual tax liability is agreed upon by the tax authorities in view of that ruling.

Apple's tax policies have been questioned on numerous occasions throughout the past few years, as the company is said to utilize multiple subsidiary companies located in the Irish city of Cork to move money around without significant tax penalties. This in due in part to an exemption in the region's law, which allows companies that are managed abroad but located in Ireland to be exempt from taxes. CEO Tim Cook defended the company's tax practices in 2013, calling for a tax reform and simplified corporate tax policies along with lower rates for repatriation.



Apple and the Irish government will now have one month to respond to the findings published in the Commission's reports, as the case will likely take up to 18 months to reach a conclusion. In addition to its findings regarding Apple and Ireland, the European Commission also announced that it is investigating state aid cases involving coffee company Starbucks and car maker Fiat and their arrangements with the Netherlands and Luxembourg, respectively.



Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Posted in 2014 at 10:40AM, September 30

Apple Suppliers 'Scrambling' to Produce Enough iPhone 6 Displays After Issues With New Backlight

Apple's supply chain is scrambling to get enough displays ready for the iPhone 6 ahead of its launch next month, reports Reuters.




Front panel said to be from the 4.7-inch iPhone 6


The report notes that production issues were made prevalent when the backlight film for the device's display panel had to be redesigned, halting production for two months:

Two supply chain sources said display panel production suffered a setback after the backlight that helps illuminate the screen had to be revised, putting screen assembly on hold for part of June and July. One said Apple, aiming for the thinnest phone possible, initially wanted to cut back to a single layer of backlight film, instead of the standard two layers, for the 4.7-inch screen, which went into mass production ahead of the 5.5-inch version.

After the backlight film component was revised, Apple reportedly rejected it and went back to add the second layer to the panel causing a delay. As it stands, production of the display has resumed as suppliers are attempting to work quickly to make up for lost time before the device's launch.



Concerns over the iPhone 6's backlight design surfaced last month from supply chain, which also suggested that Apple's desire to use only one backlight film to minimize the size of the handset would cause production delays. Current generation iPhone displays are supplied by Minebea and use two layers in order to improve readability in these backlit displays.



In a single layer setup for the device's display, one layer has to be of a very high quality to take the place of the standard second layer. To meet the demand for the part, Apple had allegedly gone to OMRON and Radian to add them as suppliers alongside Minebea, however the outcome of that effort is not known. Previous reports of production issues surrounding the iPhone 6 had pinpointed challenges with the device's in-cell touch panel and metal casings.



Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6 at an event on September 9, with a launch for the 4.7-inch version likely come a week later. It is unclear if the 5.5-inch version will ship at the same time, as Apple is also said to be experiencing other production issues with the larger device. Both models of the iPhone 6 will likely feature a thinner, rounded chassis and incorporate a new A8 processor, a refined camera, and iOS 8.

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Posted in 2014 at 10:40AM, August 22

iPhone 6 Said to Feature Sony's 13-Megapixel Exmor IMX220 Camera Sensor

Apple's iPhone 6 could feature Sony's Exmor IMX220 camera sensor, according to a post on Chinese Sony enthusiast forum Digi-Wo (Google Translate, via G for Games ). The Exmor IMX220 features a 13-megapixel, 1/2.3'' sensor and can record videos in 1080p. The sensor would also be a sizable improvement over the camera currently in the iPhone 5s, which uses an 8-megapixel, 1/3.2'' sensor.




Sony's Exmor IMX220 camera sensor (via Alibaba)


Past rumors have suggested that the iPhone 6 will retain the same 8-megapixel sensor found in the iPhone 5s, with Apple instead choosing to offer improved image stabilization for more clear photos. A report last month also noted that an optical image stabilization system will be exclusively featured in the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6, while the smaller 4.7-inch version utilizes an improved lens module.



Notably however, the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5s have used incremental versions of Sony's IMX145 sensor, as Apple could choose implement a new sensor from the company for the iPhone 6. Sony is also expected to use a 20-megapixel version of the IMX220 in its Sony Xperia Z3 flagship device that is slated to ship later this year.



While Digi-Wo does not have a track record with Apple-related rumors, the website has offered accurate information on past Sony products before their release, and recently offered leaked photos of the Xperia Z3.



Apple's iPhone 6 is expected to be announced this fall at a special media event. The device is expected to come in two sizes of 4.7 and 5.5-inches, although it is not known if the larger sized iPhone 6 will ship alongside the smaller version. In addition to an improved camera, the iPhone 6 will feature a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, and Apple's new iOS 8 mobile operating system.

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Posted in 2014 at 10:40AM, July 17

New Video Shows Closer Look at Purported 4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Front Panel

Earlier this week, new photos of the iPhone 6's alleged front panel surfaced, which followed an earlier leak of the component in April. Now, a new video from Chinese blog iFanr (Google Translate, via Nowhereelse.fr ) appears to show a closer look of the black front panel, featuring a comparison to the current iPhone 5s.






Like the previous leak, the video shows the front panel having a thinner bezel and rounded edges, in line with rumors that the iPhone 6 will feature a thinner profile and a curved design. The hole for the front-facing camera is once again depicted to be on the left side of the earpiece, which differs from the location of the front camera of the iPhone 5s. When shown over the iPhone 5s, the alleged panel of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 appears expectedly bigger, but still useable with one hand.



The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is expected to launch later this fall, with reports suggesting a release date of either September 19 or September 25. It is also likely that Apple will launch a larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6, although it is unclear if the device will be released alongside the 4.7-inch version. Some reports have suggested that production issues will force Apple to launch the 5.5-inch version later this year or early next year, while others say that both versions of the iPhone 6 will launch at the same time.



In addition to a larger display and thinner profile, both models of the iPhone 6 are expected to come with a faster A8 processor and an enhanced camera. The 5.5-inch version is rumored to come with a number of exclusive features, including an optical image stabilization system and a bigger storage capacity.

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Posted in 2014 at 10:40AM, July 03

Foxconn Looking to Secure Orders for iPhone and iPad Displays with Sharp Partnership [iOS Blog]

Longtime Apple supplier Foxconn is said to be in talks with Japanese display manufacturer Sharp to utilize the firm's technology in order to start producing displays for the iPhone and the iPad, reports Taiwan's United Daily News (Google Translate, via GforGames ).





While Foxconn has long been the primary assembler for Apple's devices, a further collaboration with Sharp would mean that the company could begin to secure display orders for the iPhone and iPad, perhaps reducing Apple's reliance on rival Samsung as a primary display supplier. An enhanced collaboration would also help further speed and streamline the development and adaption of new technologies into Apple's products.



Foxconn and Sharp announced in 2012 that they had entered a strategic partnership to advance LCD technology and even opened an iPhone display plant in Chengdu, China. It was also rumored that Foxconn would attempt to secure a 10 percent steak in the Japanese display maker, however those plans were dropped shortly thereafter.



Currently, Apple's displays are made by LG, Japan Display, Sharp, and Samsung. Notably, Samsung was said to be Apple's top iPad display supplier in Q1 2014, with the company turning to the Korean manufacturer last October to produce displays for the Retina iPad mini as Sharp and LG struggled with low yields.

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Posted in 2014 at 10:40AM, June 15

The OnePlus One invites will soon start rolling out

The “Never Settle” Android smartphone has an exciting price and even more interesting specs, but OnePlus doesn’t appear to have what it takes to meet the impressive demand, or at least not for the time being. That’s why the company is using an invite system, which will be the only way to buy a OnePlus One handset for now. The company on Saturday announced that it's finally ready to roll out the first “major batch of invites,” although it did not provide an actual release date, saying the invites are coming "soon."

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Posted in 2014 at 10:40AM, May 19